Aggiusta le tue cose Community Store

Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement

Introduzione

If the volume knob on your Fender Stratocaster is producing a crackling sound when turned or not properly modulating the volume of your guitar when it's plugged into an amp, use this guide to replace its potentiometer.

If turning your volume knob produces a crackling sound, the potentiometer could be either either dirty or damaged. Before using this guide, turn the knob back and forth to clear any potential debris stuck within the pot. If the problem persists, the potentiometer is likely damaged and needs to be replaced.

Steps 8-9, 13, and 15 require a soldering iron to remove and replace the old potentiometer with the new one. Make sure you are familiar with how to solder and desolder electrical components, as well as following proper safety measures. If not, we suggest reading the How To Solder and Desolder Connections iFixit guide before continuing with this fix.

Before performing this fix, ensure that your guitar is not plugged into an amp.

Cosa ti serve

  1. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement, Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer: passo 1, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement, Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer: passo 1, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement, Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer: passo 1, immagine 3 di 3

    • Loosen the low E string of the guitar by turning it's tuning peg in the clockwise direction.

    • Once completely loosened, pull the string out of its tuning post.

    • Repeat the previous two bullets for the rest of the strings.

    Modifica

  2. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 2, immagine 1 di 2 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 2, immagine 2 di 2

    • After pulling out all of the strings from their tuning pegs, grab them and fold them over the bottom of the guitar.

    Modifica

  3. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 3, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 3, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 3, immagine 3 di 3

    • Take a cloth and slip it underneath one end of the volume knob.

    • Wrap the cloth around the rest of the knob such that it makes contact with most of the knob's underside.

    • Once the cloth is fully secured, grab it right above the knob and pull straight up.

    • The knob should easily pop off.

    Modifica

  4. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 4, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 4, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 4, immagine 3 di 3

    • Take the socket wrench and place it onto the mounting nut.

    • Loosen the mounting nut and then take it off.

    Modifica

  5. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 5, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 5, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 5, immagine 3 di 3

    • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove all of the screws on the perimeter of the pickguard.

    • You should end up with a total of 11 screws.

    Modifica

  7. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 6, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 6, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 6, immagine 3 di 3

    • Lift the pickguard up slightly on the side closest to the guitar strings, or furthest from the neck.

    • Pull the pickguard towards the strings to slide it out from under the neck.

    • Flip the pickguard upside down and let it rest on top of the guitar.

    Modifica

  8. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 7, immagine 1 di 2 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 7, immagine 2 di 2

    • The volume potentiometer is the one closest to the middle of the pickguard.

    • Take multiple pictures of the potentiometer to ensure you have a reference showing how each component is wired.

    • Make sure to have least one picture of every connection.

    • Also note which way the legs of the potentiometer are pointed, as it is best to maintain the potentiometer's orientation when putting the guitar back together.

    Modifica

  9. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 8, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 8, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 8, immagine 3 di 3

    • Plug in and heat up your soldering iron.

    • Once your soldering iron is hot, prepare to desolder the ground wires (the wires connected to the cylindrical base of the potentiometer).

    • Grab the wire, and gently pull it away from the potentiometer.

    • Melt the solder on the ground connections by touching the tip of the soldering iron to it. Continue pulling on the wire with your other hand.

    • Once the solder is melted enough, the wire will easily pull away.

    • Be careful to not touch any other wires with the soldering iron.

    • Be careful when holding the wires, as they'll become hot really fast.

    • Use desoldering wick to clean up the remaining solder.

    Modifica

  10. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 9, immagine 1 di 2 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 9, immagine 2 di 2

    • Repeat the previous step with the remaining ground wires.

    Modifica

  11. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 10, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 10, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 10, immagine 3 di 3

    • The two wires connected to the legs of the potentiometer are hooked into the holes of the legs, so it is safer to cut them than desolder them.

    • Take your wire cutters and cut as little of the wire off as possible. If the metal of the wire is no longer visible after cutting, slightly roll up the wire insulation.

    • Repeat these steps for the last remaining wire.

    Modifica

  12. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 11, immagine 1 di 2 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 11, immagine 2 di 2

    • Pull the potentiometer out of its socket.

    • There is a washer on the neck of the potentiometer that sits between the potentiometer and the pickguard. If it does not come off with the potentiometer, search for it as it is needed for the next step.

    Modifica

  13. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 12, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 12, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 12, immagine 3 di 3

    • Take the washer off of the old potentiometer, and place it onto the replacement one.

    • Alternatively, if using the official Fender replacement kit, use the washer from the kit.

    Modifica

  14. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 13, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 13, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 13, immagine 3 di 3

    • Holding the potentiometer upside down, bend the rightmost leg to touch the body of the pot.

    • Solder the leg to the body.

    • This can be achieved by melting a bit of solder to the body before bending the leg, and then heating it up once the leg is already touching it.

    Modifica

  15. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 14, immagine 1 di 2 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 14, immagine 2 di 2

    • Insert the potentiometer and its washer back into the pickguard and secure it with the mounting nut.

    • Try to keep the orientation of the potentiometer the same as it had been originally, with the legs pointing towards the two other potentiometers.

    Modifica

  16. Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 15, immagine 1 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 15, immagine 2 di 3 Fender Stratocaster Volume Potentiometer Replacement: passo 15, immagine 3 di 3

    • Solder the ground wires to the new potentiometer.

    • For the ground wires, begin by melting a bit of solder onto the potentiometer.

    • Then, with the hand not holding the soldering iron, take the wires and place them into the solder. Keep holding the iron to the solder and wire until the wire is submerged in the solder.

    • Remove the soldering iron. Keep on holding the wire until the solder solidifies, then you may let go as a connection has been made.

    • Repeat this with the rest of wires.

    • Remember to use the pictures you took of the old potentiometer as guidance for where each wire goes.

    • Be careful to not touch any other wires with the soldering iron.

    • Be careful when holding the wires, as they'll become hot really fast.

    Modifica
Conclusione

To reassemble the guitar, follow steps 1-6 in reverse order.

Un'altra persona ha completato questa guida.

Autore

con 3 altri collaboratori

Andre Vojtenyi

Membro da: 01/21/25

262 Reputazione

1 Guida realizzata

Distintivi: 5

+2 altri distintivi

Team

UC Davis, Team 1-6, Morris Winter 2025 Membro di UC Davis, Team 1-6, Morris Winter 2025

UCD-MORRIS-W25S1G6

3 Membri

1 Guida realizzata

0Commenti sulla guida

Aggiungi Commento

Visualizza Statistiche:

Ultime 24 Ore: 3

Ultimi 7 Giorni: 14

Ultimi 30 Giorni: 57

Tutti i Tempi: 554